


Sweet Bee Bakery

by thatwriterlady



Series: SPN ABO Bingo Challenge 25 Stories [23]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha Dean, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Bakery Shop Owner Dean Winchester, Beekeeper Castiel (Supernatural), Beekeeper Dean Winchester, Castiel (Supernatural) and Bees, Claiming Bites, Falling In Love, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mates, Nurse Castiel, Nurturing Alpha, Omega Castiel, Omega Sam Winchester, SPN A/B/O Bingo, Smut, The fluffiest fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2017-09-10
Packaged: 2018-12-26 00:08:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12047178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatwriterlady/pseuds/thatwriterlady
Summary: When Cas is referred to a local beekeeper for help with reestablishing a bee colony after a vicious ex burned his down, he expected to get bees.  He had no idea he would find his neighbor, best friend, lover, and future mate.  He got more than he bargained for, but it was everything he could have ever wanted.





	Sweet Bee Bakery

**Author's Note:**

> So the last of the stories are finally edited, and I am putting up this one tonight, because I really did want to keep posting one each day, except my health got in the way of my writing, and well, my wonderful Beta **Monijune** has a busy life too. 
> 
> I have been suffering from migraines most of my adult life, but they got worse starting a few years ago. They got even more severe over the last year or so. A few months back I began experiencing tremors. At first they were small and I wasn't even entirely sure I wasn't imagining them, but then other people started noticing, and then I really started shaking. Cue a trip to urgent care, and another to the ER night before last, and they still don't know what's causing either the migraines or the tremors. I have a neurology appointment Monday, and I'm hoping they can figure out what is going on. It's very frustrating and this is day 15 of migraines. This past Monday's was bad, and today's was even worse. An 11 on a scale of 1-10 kind of bad. I am exhausted, and writing has been my only distraction. I'm so tired of being sick. Regular doctor's appointment is set for Oct. 6th, and I'm hoping he'll address everything else that's wrong with my body. Wish me luck on that one!
> 
> All of the stories for this collection are now finished. I will post another one tomorrow evening, and then you'll get the last one. I do hope you're still enjoying all of these. There's smut in this one. You guys deserve it. :)

 

 

 

 

**Story #23**

**Fluff**

**_Sweet Bee Bakery~_ **

 

Cas loved bees.  He raised them; he harvested his own honey, and he planted only bee-friendly flowers. Everything he did was to keep his hives going and do his part so they didn’t die out.  Then he made the mistake of breaking up with Cole.  The asshole burned his fields, and the hives, which left 200,000 bees dead. It was the worst day of his life, and the asshole Alpha only did it to get back at him.  He’d known how precious the bees were to the Omega, and he hit him exactly where it hurt.  Without his bees, he just felt…empty.

 

It was why he had come here, to the farmer’s market.  His neighbor Cain had told him about a vendor that raised bees and sold a wide variety of goods filled with the honey his bees provided.  The man was said to be passionate about bee preservation and currently had somewhere in the vicinity of two hundred _million_ bees.  Cas was eager to meet the man and see if by chance he could help him set up new hives, with a new colony.  Cain said the man’s name was Dean, and that he couldn’t miss him.  That was how he found himself wandering amongst the various vendors, searching for a sign reading: _Sweet Bee Bakery and Goods_

 

He wandered down one aisle and up the next, wondering what on Earth Cain could have meant, until he finally saw it. There, in bright yellow with black letters and tiny bees painted on the sign, was the place he was looking for.  Weaving between the other patrons, he (no pun intended) made a beeline for the stand.

 

The man behind the stand was an Omega like him, very tall and wearing a yellow apron.  He smiled warmly as Cas approached.

 

“Hi, welcome to Sweet Bee Bakery.  Were you looking for something in particular?” 

 

“I’m looking for a man named Dean.  Are you Dean?”  Cas asked.  The man shook his head.

 

“No, that’s my brother.  I’m Sam.”  Sam looked around, scanning the crowd.  “He went to get me water. I’m sort of close to my next heat, and I’m so thirsty.”

 

Cas could sympathize. He knew how rough that could be. He took a moment to look at the wide variety of items being sold.  “All of these have honey?”

 

“Not all of them, but most of them do.  There’s bee pollen, too, for general health, and we sell honey in a variety of sizes,”  Sam replied as he set out several angel food cakes.  Cas’ favorite.  He reached for one.  Only $5.  That was ridiculously low. 

 

“Got a customer, eh?”  The deep voice drew Cas’ attention, and he looked up into the eyes of the handsomest Alpha he’d ever seen in his life. 

 

“He was actually looking for you,”  Sam said.  Cas’ stomach did a flip.  _This_ was Dean?!  The man had turned to his brother while he spoke, but now he was looking at Cas again with interest.

 

“Was there something I could help you with?”

 

“I hope so.  My neighbor told me I might be able to purchase bees and the necessary setup for them from you at a lower cost than if I were to go through the places I’ve looked at online,”  Cas replied.  Dean cocked an eyebrow as he moved behind the stand, handing a liter of water to Sam. 

 

“You dealt with bees before?”

 

“I have.  I had a beautiful colony.”

 

“You lose them to disease?”  Dean asked as he began helping his brother set out items for sale.

 

“No.  I was dating the wrong Alpha and when I refused to let him claim me, he came onto my property and burned my fields and my hives.  My colony was over 200,000 and he…”  Tears welled up in Cas’ eyes.  “I need to start over, but I don’t have as much money as I did the first time.”

 

“Sure, why don’t you stop by the shop and we’ll discuss the cost of setting up, ok?”  Dean pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it over.  “I’m there Monday through Friday, til five.”

 

Cas looked at the card in his hands, feeling hope for the first time since Cole had destroyed his colony.  When he met Dean’s gaze next, he smiled.

 

“I will stop by tomorrow.  In the meantime, I’d like to buy this cake.  Do you take credit cards?”

 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Cas bought the cake and was on his way.  Sam bumped his brother’s arm when he noticed him staring after the Omega.

                                          

“What, you interested?”

 

Dean turned away, busying himself with putting out more of the sweet breads he’d made that morning.

 

“He wants bees.  I can help him with that.”

 

“Sure you can.  He’s…good looking.  Dark hair, blue eyes.  You like that.”  Sam was teasing, and Dean refused to let it get under his skin. He remained cool as he put out the sugar cookies and snickerdoodles.  The chocolate chip he kept in a cooler in the back of the van so the chips didn’t melt.

 

“How’s your heat?  Did you take your pills?” 

 

Sam sighed and opened the back door of the van to grab his bag.  He was overdue for his meds that would ease his symptoms and mask his scent.  Dean kept him safe, but it was still a good, protective measure.  He pulled the bottle out of his bag and popped two of the pills in his mouth, chasing them with a generous gulp of water.

 

“There, _Dad_ , I took them.” 

 

Dean rolled his eyes as another potential customer strolled past their stand, eyeing the various pastries and breads.  She stopped and purchased two loaves of Italian bread and a jar of honey before moving on to the flower vendor next door.

 

“It’s not safe to put off your next dose. I bought extra water so I don’t have to leave again,” he told his brother. Sam came over to look out across the crowd.

 

“How old do you think he is?”

 

“How old do I think who is?”  Dean asked.  Sam went through the credit card slips, and finding the one he was looking for, plucked it out. 

 

“Castiel Novak.”

 

“Who?”  Dean was busy counting how many loaves of bread he had left to sell and hadn’t seen his brother grab the receipt until he was waving it in his face.  “Oh.  I don’t know.  Maybe 30?  40?”

 

“That’s a pretty wide guess.”  Sam laughed as he put the receipt back.

 

“I’m bad at guessing ages.”  Dean shrugged.  “I think maybe under 40.”

 

“He’s not mated.” Sam wasn’t dropping this, and Dean was about to lose his cool.

 

“So?  Lots of Omegas aren’t mated.”

 

Sam just sighed and rolled his eyes.  His brother was stubborn.  He didn’t miss how Dean’s eyes went back out over the crowd, searching out the Omega with the bright blue eyes and the messy, dark brown hair.  Oh yeah, Dean was interested.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Cas couldn’t get away early from work to stop by the bakery Monday, and Tuesday and Wednesday he had to work a double shift.  It wasn’t until Thursday that he found the time to stop in.  The place smelled amazing and he was so glad he’d already eaten, otherwise he’d be buying one of everything in the place.  It was busy, and there were a myriad of people working behind the counter to service the line of customers, none of which were Dean.  Sam wasn’t there either.  He got in line and waited.  It was almost 15 minutes before he finally reached the counter.

                                                                                        

“Hi, welcome to Sweet Bee, what can I getcha?”  The girl behind the counter looked like she’d rather be anywhere else.

 

“Um, I’ve come to speak with the owner, Dean?”

 

She motioned to another girl behind the counter with her.  “Chrissy, can you go in the back and tell Dean that…”  She looked at him again, and he realized she wanted his name.

 

“Oh, I’m Cas.  I don’t think I gave him my name though.  I met him at the farmer’s market this past Saturday.  I’m inquiring about bees.”  He hoped Dean remembered him.  He certainly remembered Dean.  She nodded and turned back to the other girl again.

 

“You heard him.”

 

Chrissy disappeared into the back and the girl turned to look at him again.  Her name tag said Claire.  She looked at him expectantly.

 

“I’ll take one of your raspberry Danishes.”  He hadn’t intended to buy anything, but for some reason this girl made him feel guilty.  He’d just finished paying when Dean came out of the back, a wide smile on his face.

 

“Hey, wasn’t sure if I’d see you again.”

 

“This was the first opportunity I’ve had to stop in,”  Cas said.  Dean motioned towards an empty table, and he followed the Alpha over to it.

 

“What do you do, if you don’t mind my asking,”  Dean asked.  He waited for Cas to sit down first before he took the seat across from him.

 

“I’m a nurse.  Pediatric oncology ward.  I got off early today, so I decided to swing by,”  Cas replied.

 

“Wow, that…”  A small furrow formed between the Alpha’s brows.  “That has to be difficult.”

 

“It can be.  I do grow rather attached to the pups in my care.”  Cas admitted.  “My bees were the one bright spot in my life, and they were cruelly taken away from me.”

 

“Well, I’ll do what I can to help you get another colony going.  Here’s the way I see it.  Summer is ending.  Autumn officially starts in just two weeks, so trying to establish a colony now is not really going to work.  I build my own hives, and I have ones that make collecting the honey extremely easy and noninvasive.  I could come to your place, build them on site, and see just how bad the damage was.  Maybe some things are still salvageable.  Do you have any flowers left?”

 

Cas shook his head.  “No, the fields are scorched.”

 

“How much land do you have?”  Dean asked.

 

“I have 40 acres.  30 dedicated to native plants and wildflowers, the other 10 I use for my own food, and pasture for my horses.”

 

Dean smiled.  “You have horses?”

 

“The idea was that I would buy land, build a house, and learn to live off the land so I no longer have to work like I do now.  I’m about done with 60-hour work weeks.  It’s exhausting, and I can’t do the things I truly want to do, like…”  Cas scratched at his chin and looked away as his cheeks began to blush.  “Start a family, or fix my house up.  I got the house and land at a lowered price because I bought a foreclosure, but I feel like I’m drowning.  I work so many hours right now.  I used to spend my free time with my bees.  Now I spend whatever hours I have off turning over the soil and replanting.  I don’t think they’ll go to seed in time for more to come up next year though.  It’s quite frustrating.  It took me five years to get my bees set up, the fields cleared of debris and seeded, and in a single afternoon everything was taken from me.  I’d have been happier if he’d burned my house down and let my fields be.”

 

Cas’ shoulders sagged and his head dropped as he remembered the horrors of that afternoon. 

 

“Is there any chance this guy could do it again?”

 

Cas looked up, shaking his head.  “No, he was caught, arrested, and he’s in prison.  Turns out the Omega he dated before me, he killed.  He won’t be getting out anytime soon.”

 

“Jeez, really?”  Dean shook off the shock of hearing that.  “As long as the bees won’t be harmed by whoever you’re currently dating, I’ll help you rebuild your colony.” 

 

Cas blushed as he looked up at the Alpha.  “That’s not a problem; I-I’m not dating anyone at the moment.”

 

Dean tried to deny that he was pleased to hear that.  He pulled his phone from his pocket and looked over at the other man.  “Give me your number.  When is your next day off?  I’ll stop by and we can discuss pricing and materials.”

 

Cas didn’t hesitate to give the Alpha his number, and he wondered as he drove home that afternoon whether he’d seemed desperate.  He really hoped he didn’t.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Saturday was his next day off and to his surprise, Dean was on his doorstep at 9 a.m.  He was still in bed when he’d heard the doorbell and staggered down the stairs to let the man in.

                                                       

“Uh, I did tell you I was coming, didn’t I?”  Dean asked as Cas stepped back to let him in.

 

“You did, but I just worked 18 hours, and I slept as long as possible.  I’m off today and tomorrow.  My first weekend off in…”  Cas squinted as he tried to remember.  “I honestly don’t know.  It’s been a few years at least.”

 

“Damn, if you want me to come back later…”  Dean pointed back towards the door but Cas quickly closed it before he could leave.

 

“No, I’m fine.  I just need coffee.”  Cas shuffled into the kitchen and Dean followed.

 

“This is a nice house.  I see what you mean though about it being a fixer upper.”  The Alpha was busy investigating a stain on the ceiling while Cas got the coffee pot started.  He kept meaning to invest in one he could preset, but he’d had this one since college and it still worked just fine.  Why replace something that still worked?

 

“I am not a carpenter or an electrician, but I’ve managed to fix the entire upstairs on my own.  Granted, there wasn’t as much that needed done up there, aside from pulling up the carpet, scraping the window frames and repainting.  Down here, the electric needs to be replaced.  Half the outlets don’t work and every few months another one seems to bite the dust.  I need to replace the ceiling in here, and eventually, someday, I’ll update the appliances.  I kind of like the old linoleum though.  I think it was put down in the 50’s or around that era.  Sort of reminds me of a diner.”  Cas’ voice was rough as he talked.  He leaned heavily against one counter and stared at the coffee maker, willing it to brew faster.

 

“I’m a certified electrician.  I can take a look for you,”  Dean offered.  This time sharp blue eyes turned to look at him.

 

“Really?”

 

“I’ve had a few careers over the years.  I always wanted my own bees, though, and a bakery.  I apprenticed in carpentry and electric, and got licensed in electric.  Whatever you need done around here, I probably know someone who does it, and I can get you deals. Materials at cost, and discounted rates. I know people that do just about everything,” the Alpha said. 

 

“Thank you, that would be very much appreciated.”  Cas meant that too.  Anything that saved him money meant he could afford more for the bees he wanted to get.

 

After pouring cups of coffee for them both, Cas excused himself to go and get dressed.  Dean hadn’t even realized the man wasn’t in what he planned to wear for the day, but he’d enjoyed the view of the Omega’s legs and ass in the cotton shorts he’d been wearing.  When he returned though, it took effort not to drool.  Cas had changed into a pair of jeans that hung low on his hips and every time he gestured, sharp hip bones peeked out over the waistband.  It was very distracting.  He hadn’t bothered to shave either and the look was, well, it was fucking _hot_ as far as Dean was concerned.

 

Cas slipped on a pair of sandals and led Dean out the back door.  They started walking out into the field directly behind the house.  Dean frowned when he saw the scorched landscape before him.  Tufts of grass here and there were poking up, and a few wildflowers, but that was it.

 

“How did your house not catch on fire?  Or the neighboring properties?”  he asked.

 

“See that building in the distance?”  Cas pointed to what looked like a huge shed a few miles down the road.

 

“Yeah.” 

 

“That’s the volunteer fire department.  They responded very quickly.  I have a connection over there, between my property and Cain’s.  It was actually a firefighter that caught my ex and held him until the police arrived.  Most of my acreage was decimated though, and what wasn’t, the gasoline soaked into the soil and killed the vegetation.  And the wildlife.  I’ve had to dispose of dead shrews, rabbits, even a raccoon.  It’s been awful,”  Cas replied.

 

“When did he do this?”  Dean thought it had to have been recent for this much damage to have been done, but nothing to be making a comeback yet.

 

“April 1st.  Ironic, no?”  Cas asked bitterly.  “Fucking bastard.  But, I suppose that if burning my fields is the worst he did to me, then I got out lucky.  I feel awful for the family of the man he dated before me.”

 

“I’m glad he’s locked away and can’t hurt you.  No one should be forced into taking a mate.”  Dean stepped over what looked like a daisy, not wanting to kill the life that was struggling to come back.

 

“I’ve learned not to date people at the hospital.  Not only is it awkward if you break up, but if they’re nuts, they can stalk you from work, which is what he did.  He was a technician.  I really should have listened to the warning bells going off in my head with him.”  Cas stopped in an open area of the field.  “The fire started here.  He doused my hives to make sure they burned completely.”

 

“Damn.”  Dean shook his head as he looked around.  This was a great spot for the bees to forage and find food.  So much land, and a caring beekeeper who had their best interest in mind.  He realized as he looked at the surrounding farms that this wasn’t far from his own place.  In fact…

 

“Hey, I think your land backs up to mine.”

 

Cas looked up in surprise.  “Really?”

 

“Yeah.  Did you ever wonder why the next pasture over is filled with wild flowers and native plants?” 

 

“I thought the fields were just unused,”  Cas replied.

 

“Nah, I have a working farm with 110 acres.  It’s probably why Cain recommended me.  His farm butts up against mine too.  My bees are the reason his squash grow so well.  Or they were, until you started keeping bees too,”  Dean chuckled.

 

“I had no idea.”  Cas smiled softly at the Alpha.  He hadn’t noticed anyone in the fields beyond his fence line, but he attributed that to all the hours he worked.  Cain was really the only neighbor he knew on any kind of friendly basis.  The family on the other side, he’d met them maybe twice in all the years he’d lived here.

 

“Well, how many boxes did you have last time?”  Dean asked.

 

“Three.  I’d like more, if my budget will allow for it.” 

 

Dean nodded and looked at the area again.  “We could do 10, if you think you can manage them.”

 

Cas frowned.  “I don’t know.  Could we cut that in half for the moment?  I have to do something about the hours I’m working.  My job is killing me slowly.  If I can cut down my hours, I can get more down the road.”

 

“Sure.  So, five is good?  You can easily manage that?”

 

“I believe I can,”  Cas replied.

 

“Ok, well, how about I help you get the rest of these fields turned over?  I have a backhoe and some other equipment.  Then, in the spring, I’ll help you get some already established native plants in the ground, along with a fuck ton of wildflower seeds,”  Dean said.  Cas smiled.

 

“A fuck ton, huh?”

 

Dean laughed.  “I harvest my own seeds, so yeah, I have stores of them.”

 

“That sounds wonderful, but I can’t ask you to take so much time away from your own farm and your bakery.  That would be extremely selfish of me.”

 

“You’re not asking, I’m offering.  In the long run, it benefits my bees too, so I’m happy to help.  Plus we gotta get your house up to code.  It’s so illegal right now.”  Dean jerked a thumb back towards the house where one of the gutters was hanging down almost to the ground.

 

“I’ve been thinking of switching to another area of the hospital.  I need a break so I can get this place fixed up properly.”  Cas sighed.  “Guess I know what I’ll be doing today and tomorrow.”

 

Dean hated how tired the guy sounded.  He vowed that he would do whatever it took to help Cas fix his place up and get his bees back.  And maybe he just wanted to be around the handsome Omega more.  That little fact he tucked away for now.  Cas wasn’t looking for a relationship; he was looking for bees.  That was something he could definitely help with.

 

“Well, let me go take a look at the electric, and we’ll see if we can’t get that fixed up for you today.”

 

He was gifted with the most beautiful open, happy smile he’d ever seen, and it made the fact that he’d be spending time fixing wiring instead of baking more bread totally worth it.  Good thing he had a competent work staff.

 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Dean fetched his tool belt and the toolbox he always kept in the trunk, and made his way down to the basement.  To his horror, he realized Cas was still using a fuse box.  The house had not been updated to circuit breakers.  He pulled out a notepad and began making notes of all the things that would need to be fixed.  The wiring was outdated, frayed, and needed immediate replacement before Cas lost his house as well as the fields.  He shut everything down and headed upstairs to the first floor. 

 

“Cas?”                                                                            

 

“In the kitchen!”

 

He headed towards the sound of the Omega’s voice and found the man stirring creamer into a second cup of coffee.

 

“You turned off the electric?”

 

“Your wiring is so old it’s still fabric covered.  It’s ancient and fraying so bad it’s a miracle it hasn’t caught fire yet.  And you have a fuse box!  No one has fuse boxes anymore!”  Dean exclaimed.

 

“Well, I don’t know how to replace those, and with work keeping me busy, I’ve not been able to hire an electrician to come in and do the work.  I prefer to be home when I have a stranger here.  A plumber stole my mother’s jewelry once.  It’s left me a little wary of strangers.”

 

“Well, I promise not to steal from you.  Plus, at this point I’d like to think we’re no longer strangers,”  Dean said, smiling.  The Omega’s cheeks had a sweet pink tint to them as he returned the smile.

 

“No, I suppose we’re not.  So, how bad is the damage?”

 

“Well, I’ll replace the box today, and I’ll rewire the house room by room.  How many rooms are we looking at here?”  Dean asked as he looked around.  The kitchen and living room were massive, but he could see the dining room was large as well.

 

“It’s 2500 square feet.”

 

“Shit.  How many rooms in total?”

 

Cas did a mental tally.  “Um, bathrooms count?”

 

Dean nodded.

 

“Ok, then…11.  Plus the basement.”

 

“All this just for you?”  Dean asked.

 

“I wanted the land more than anything.  It’s a big house but honestly, I thought I’d have found a mate by now and maybe had a pup or two to fill up all this empty space.”

 

“My house is 900 square feet.”  The Alpha chuckled and leaned against the counter closest to Cas.  He could smell the soft, flowery scent of the Omega, and it made him want to bury his nose against the man’s throat.  Cas smelled so damn good.  “I bought the land and built my house on it, but after I started, I just wanted it done and over with.”

 

“I’m sure.  I’m also sure it’s up to code.”  Cas laughed.  Dean joined in, nodding in agreement.

 

“We’ll get your place up to code too.  I like these old houses, they have an amazing history, and they’re gorgeous once they’re fully restored.”

 

“So, how long will I be without electricity?”  Cas asked.

 

“I’m going to run to the hardware store.  My grandfather owns it, and I can get everything at a discount.  Today I’ll rewire the living room and put in the new box.  If I have time, I’ll do the kitchen too.  We’ll take the first floor room by room.  You just let me know your schedule.  I can work, even if you’re too exhausted to do much more than veg out on the couch. Or, if you have the energy, I’ll have you help.  It goes much faster with two people.”

 

Cas moved over to the fridge where he had a calendar with his work schedule for the month.

 

“Unless someone calls off or asks me to switch, this is my schedule for the rest of the month.”

 

Dean pushed off the counter and walked over to get a look at it.  Cas hadn’t been kidding when he’d said he worked a lot.  He had the weekend off, but Monday was the start of a six day work week with at least two split shifts.  Pulling out his notepad, he wrote the schedule down.

 

“I have staff working my bakery, and the bees are self-maintaining, so I can spend as much time here as I want.  It’s best to get all the electric and plumbing fixed before winter sets in, so you’re not stuck without water or heat.  I see you get off at six on Monday.  I have the bakery closed by then, and since I’m the boss, I leave most of the cleanup to my crew.  I can meet you here by seven, and work til like, ten.  Does that work for you?”

 

“Yes, and I don’t care how tired I might be, I will help. I’d like to learn these things, and if it gets the house fixed up faster, that’s even better,” Cas agreed.

 

“I’ll also come and turn over the soil while you’re at work.  You don’t need to be here for that, and it will get things out of the way so when we put the new boxes in, we won’t have to move them later.”  Dean tucked his notepad back in his pocket.  “I’m heading to the store now.  Why don’t you move all of the furniture away from the walls and I’ll be back in about an hour?”

 

Cas nodded and walked the Alpha to the door.  Once the man was gone, the house suddenly felt emptier than usual.  He did as requested, moving all of the furniture to the center of the room, and to make sure nothing fell on either of their heads as they worked, he removed all of the pictures and art from the walls as well.  He had just finished throwing a large painting cloth over the couch when the doorbell rang.  Opening the door he found Dean standing there.  At his feet and in his hands were a dozen or so boxes.

 

“What is all this?”

 

“It’s basically everything I’ll need to rewire the house.  Say, I see you’ve got a barn for the horses.  Does electricity run out to it?”  Dean asked as they worked together to drag the boxes into the house.

 

“Yes, but it doesn’t work right.  There’s a fuse box out there too.”

 

“That’s what I thought, which is why I bought a second breaker box.”  Dean patted the two boxes under his arm.  “After this, you’ll be able to see in the dark when you go out to the barn.”

 

“Thank you.  Please keep a running tab so I know how much I owe you.”  Cas requested.  Dean gave a quick nod before setting the boxes down.  He plucked a white paper bag off the floor and held it out.

 

“I figured you might be hungry, seeing as how I turned off your electric and you can’t exactly cook.”

 

Cas smiled as he accepted the bag.  It had a breakfast sandwich from the diner in town, but it also had two raspberry Danishes from Dean’s bakery.

 

“Thank you, I am rather hungry.”

 

He fished the sandwich out and began eating it as Dean sorted through the boxes, looking for the ones he needed to take down to the basement.  Cas left long enough to change into gym shoes, and then he was following the Alpha down to the basement.

 

“You ready to learn something new?”  Dean asked, grinning.  Cas smiled right back.

 

“Most definitely.”

 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Cas did more watching and listening than actual helping, but he was learning.  They got the fuse box removed and the breaker box installed.  Dean showed him how to rewire and put in updated outlets, and slowly, methodically, they began the task of rewiring the rooms.

                              

 September faded and autumn settled in.  By mid-October Dean had tilled the fields in anticipation of reseeding and planting in the spring.  He got all of that done while Cas worked his ridiculously long shifts that had him dragging badly by the time he came home most nights.  They had all of the rooms on the first floor rewired, but the walls now needed patching and paint, not that he minded.  Some of the walls needed to be replaced anyway.  Still, he enjoyed the Alpha’s company and had gotten into the habit of bringing home food for the two of them, or if he got home early enough, making something so they could eat before they got to work. 

 

Dean repaired and replaced the broken gutters and on an early day off from work, Cas came home to find the Alpha up on the roof replacing lost shingles.  The autumn winds were particularly harsh, and they’d endured many storms in the last few weeks.  He didn’t feel well and was thankful he had the next day off because he’d barely said hello to the Alpha before plodding back inside and collapsing on the couch. 

 

That was where Dean found him an hour later, feverish and aching terribly as he shivered under the afghan his mother had made him for his 21st birthday.  The Alpha immediately knew something was wrong as he knelt down beside the couch and placed a hand on the man’s forehead.  He was burning up.

 

“Cas, hey, you’re burning up, sweetheart.”  His stomach twisted as he realized what had just slipped past his lips.  In the last few months he’d come to like the Omega way more than he’d expected.  He genuinely cared, and seeing him sick like this alarmed him something terrible.  Cas cracked an eye open and looked up at him.

 

“I don’t feel very well.”

 

“Where’s your thermometer?  You got one, right?”

 

Cas nodded and pointed towards the stairs.  “Upstairs, master bathroom.  There’s a medical bag under the sink.”

 

Dean smoothed back the man’s hair, which was plastered to his forehead, and as he got to his feet, he scooped the man up.  Cas was limp in his arms, and that worried him even more.  He carried the man upstairs and into the master bedroom.  After stripping off the man’s shoes and the scrubs he had come home in (he hoped Cas didn’t get mad at him later for that) he found a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt to help him redress in.  He tucked the shivering Omega under the heavy comforter and found another one in the closet to add to the bed, covering him up to his chin with both blankets.

 

“I’ll get the thermometer now.” 

 

Cas’ eyes slid shut as Dean went into the bathroom.  Everything in the bedroom and this bathroom smelled heavily of the Omega’s scent and it was intoxicating, but he ignored that.  Locating the bag, he was glad for how organized it was as the thermometer was easy to find.  He checked the medicine cabinet for Tylenol and grabbed that too before returning to the bedroom.  With some gentle coaxing he got Cas to open his mouth and accept the thermometer.  While he waited for it to beep, he went back to the bathroom to get a glass of water.

 

“Shit, Cas, your fever is 104.5, I should take you to the hospital.  I’m pretty sure you have the flu,”  Dean said a few minutes later when he checked the temperature.  Cas forced his eyes open again.

 

“It’s going around.  Half the staff has gotten sick in the last few weeks.  You should go, so you don’t get sick too.”

 

“I won’t get sick.  And you shouldn’t be alone.  I’m staying,” the Alpha said firmly.  Cas’ eyes opened a little wider as he searched Dean’s face.

 

“But…why?”

 

Dean pulled the covers up a little higher and smoothed back the damp hair from the Omega’s forehead again.  “Because I care.”

 

Cas smiled softly.  “Thank you.  I…I don’t have anyone out here.  My family is all back in Illinois.”

 

“I’ll take care of you; don’t worry about that.  Would you like some tea?”  Dean held out the Tylenol pills and the glass of water, and Cas managed to take them without sitting up.  Only a tiny amount of water dribbled onto his pillow, but he didn’t seem to notice.

 

“I would love some tea, thank you.”

 

Dean left him to rest while he went downstairs to put the kettle on to boil.  While he waited, he checked all the windows, frowning over how drafty they all were.  There was even a draft under the front door.  He turned up the heat a few degrees, listening for the furnace to kick on.  When it did, he breathed a sigh of relief.  It was old and would need replacing in the next few years, but he hoped Cas could get at least one more winter out of it.  As the kettle began to whistle, his phone rang.  It was Sam, so he answered.

 

“Hey, Sammy, everything ok?”

 

“Yeah, closing went just fine.  Sold out of the pint jars of honey though.  You’ll have to bring more in tomorrow.”  His brother replied.  “That’s what I was calling about.  Where are you?  Cas’?”

 

“Yes, he came home from work really sick.  He has a pretty high fever, so I’m making him some tea.  If it gets higher, I’m taking him to the hospital.”

 

“Damn, you better watch that fever.  There’s a really nasty flu strain going around, and on the news they were saying the flu shots aren’t doing squat against it.  You should call Benny; he can write prescriptions.”  Sam was worried, Dean could hear it in his voice.  Since they’d met, Sam and Cas had become good friends, and on occasion his brother had tagged along when Dean came to work at the house.

 

“I heard that on the news this morning.  He looked a little off yesterday, was really tired and pale.  I just thought his heat was coming, but I guess not.  I’ll give Benny a call, see what he suggests.”

 

“Good.  I’ll just pick up the jars myself, no worries.  You stay with your boyfriend, and we’ll keep the bakery running smoothly.  Catch you later.”

 

“He’s not my-”  His brother hung up before he could finish the sentence.  With an unnecessary glare at his phone, he shoved it back in his pocket and set about making some instant oatmeal for the sick Omega and filling his teapot with water and the Echinacea tea he’d given the man last month.  He placed everything on a tray, along with a jar of honey, and headed back upstairs. 

 

Cas was coughing hard when he walked in, and his nose was running.  He looked up miserably at the Alpha as the tray was set on his nightstand.

 

“Feeling worse?”  Dean asked.  Cas nodded.

 

“I have tea and some food for you.”  Dean filled the mug he’d brought up with the tea and spooned some honey into it.  Leaving it on the tray, he helped Cas up into a sitting position and handed him the mug.

 

“Mmm, this is good.”  Cas sighed around the lip of the mug after the first sip.

 

“Do you have tissues?  I can run to the store if you don’t,”  Dean asked.

 

“I’m a nurse.  I stay stocked on things like that.  The cabinets in the bathroom next to the tub, I buy in bulk, so there are at least 10 boxes in there.”

 

Dean went to grab a box and came back, setting it on the bed.  He placed a hand against Cas’ forehead again, aware of the eyes that were watching him.

 

“Hard to tell if it’s coming down.  I heard this is a new strain of bird flu, and very resistant to medicines.  Is that what’s going around the hospital?”

 

“We think so.  There are four nurses down, and two doctors.  At least a 100 patients are sick, but they came in that way and are infecting the staff.  I lost a little girl today; she developed a cold that turned into what presented as pneumonia.  She battled it for six days before her little body finally gave out.  Her immune system was compromised.  We try so hard to keep everything sterile.  More than likely it was her family that brought the cold in.  I saw her little brother sniffling, but not until after they were on their way out.  A day and a half later she was congested and unable to breathe.  It’s been like that all over the hospital though.”

 

“Could it have been this flu?”  Dean found an armchair in the corner and pulled it over so he could sit next to the bed.

 

“Possibly.  The cause of death hasn’t officially come back, but she had so much fluid in her lungs that the doctor diagnosed her with pneumonia.  It could be this virus though,”  Cas conceded.  He took a few more sips of his tea before Dean took the cup back and handed him the bowl of oatmeal.

 

“Thank you.  My throat feels kind of raw so I’m not sure what I can swallow.  I haven’t eaten since lunch yesterday.  I didn’t touch the salad I brought home last night.”

 

“It’s in the fridge.  You need to keep your strength up if you want to fight this.  I’ll make you foods you can stomach.  You just concentrate on resting and getting better.  I’d let your work know that you’re sick, though, so you don’t get in trouble,”  Dean told him.

 

“I don’t know where my phone is.”  Cas frowned.  He couldn’t remember where he’d had it last.  Dean found the scrubs and located the phone in the pocket.  He handed it over and Cas placed a quick call to the hospital.  The head nurse was distraught as Cas was the second nurse in the last 15 minutes to call in sick.  There was nothing he could do about that though, and she knew that.  She told him to come in for medical treatment if his symptoms got worse, and then they were hanging up.  He did his best to eat as much of the oatmeal as possible before handing the bowl back to Dean.

 

“I’m cold still, but not quite as cold as before.  I think my temperature is coming down.  Where’s the thermometer?”

 

Dean grabbed it off the nightstand and handed it over.  Cas took his temp, it was 102.9, before setting the thermometer back on the table and snuggling back under the covers.  He blinked up at Dean.

 

“When do you plan to go home?”

 

“When you’re better and I’m not scared you’ll die in the middle of the night,”  Dean replied. 

 

“You’re staying over?”  Cas asked, surprised.  He was pleased to hear that, but it still surprised him.

 

“Yes.  You need someone here to take care of you, and I want to be that person.  Is that ok with you?” 

 

Cas smiled softly and nodded.

 

“I’m also going to caulk all the downstairs windows because you have one hell of a draft coming in.  We need to keep this place warm so you can get better faster.”

 

“Ok.  Thank you, for everything, Dean.  You have no idea how much I appreciate all of this.”

 

Dean tucked the covers in a bit more as even this room was drafty.  “I’m going to run to the store and get the caulk and a few other things.  Did you need anything while I’m out?  Will NyQuil help at all?”

 

“Sudafed, but from the pharmacy, with pseudoephedrine in it. The OTC stuff doesn’t work on me.  And some Benadryl to dry my sinuses out, before I get a full blown sinus infection on top of everything else. I’ll pay you back.” 

 

“It’s alright.  You get some sleep; I’ll be back in an hour or so.  Just gonna run up to the pharmacy and the hardware store.”  Dean grabbed Cas’ keys off the nightstand, that way he could lock the door behind himself and the Omega would be safe while he was gone.

 

Cas didn’t do much else other than make a faint sound of agreement.  He was already dozing off by the time Dean left the room.  Fixing the house up and keeping it warm was the top priority right now.

 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Dean rushed at the hardware store, telling his grandfather what was happening and why he had to hurry back, and then he made a stop at the pharmacy.  He was hungry but not in the mood to cook, so he stopped by the diner, picking up several containers of soup that he could feed to Cas over the next few days, and a bacon cheeseburger with fries for himself.  He was back at the house a little more than an hour later and letting himself in, he could hear Cas coughing hard.  He hurried to store the extra soups he had bought, and with caulk, the gun for it, his food, a container of chicken noodle soup, and the medicine he’d bought, he hurried upstairs.

 

“Cas, oh, hey,”  He dropped everything in his hands, save for the soup which he set down on the floor, and hurried over to the bed.  Cas was gasping, coughing so hard his face was turning red and he couldn’t seem to catch his breath.  He checked the Omega’s forehead and it felt like the fever was climbing again. 

 

Dean pulled Cas up into a sitting position and then sat down behind him to prop him up.  That seemed to give the man the leverage he needed to catch his breath finally, and he sucked in as much air as possible.  Exhausted from coughing, he sagged back against the Alpha.

 

“Sorry, I couldn’t…stop…coughing.  Started…out of…the blue,”  Cas wheezed.

 

“It’s ok, I brought medicine, but I’m going to call my friend Benny.  He’s a nurse too, works in a clinic and he can write scripts.  I’ll see if he can come and see you.”  Dean smoothed back the hair from Cas’ head and waited for him to catch his breath.  Once he had, he piled the pillows behind the Omega’s back so he was able to sit up.  His teeth were chattering and there were dark circles under his eyes.  That worried Dean.  He brought the soup over but took Cas’ temp first.  It was climbing again.

 

“I brought you some soup.  It’s almost as good as what I make, but I didn’t have time to make a pot, so this will have to do.  Here you go.”  He handed over the soup and the plastic spoon that the diner had provided.

 

“I’m not really hungry.”  Cas’ voice was hoarse from coughing.  He took a tiny sip of the soup before dropping the spoon back into it.

 

“You need to keep your strength up.”  Dean had dialed Benny’s number and was listening to it ring, waiting for the man to pick up.  Finally it did.

 

“Hey, brotha, what has you calling?”  Benny sounded cheerful, and blessedly _healthy_.  That meant he could come check and see how sick Cas really was.

 

“I need a favor.  I’m with a friend and he came home really sick from work today.  He’s a nurse at the hospital.  I’m pretty sure it’s that nasty flu they’re talking about on the news.  Do you think you could come and take a look at him?  See if there’s anything you can do?”

 

Benny was quiet for a moment.  “What’s his address?”

 

Dean gave it and Benny promised to be there within the hour.  In the meantime, the Alpha hurried to caulk the windows in the master bedroom, and the room immediately became warmer.  He cocked an eyebrow at Cas who was still picking at the soup, until the man realized he was being watched.  Once he’d eaten half of it, Dean left to go take care of the downstairs windows.  By the time he was done, he heard a car pulling up the drive, so he went to answer the door.  Benny nodded in greeting as he climbed out of his Ford and walked towards the porch.

 

“So tell me, really, who is this guy?”  Benny asked as Dean led him into the house.  “You’ve never called me for anyone but Sam.”

 

“He’s uh…”  Dean scratched at the back of his neck.  “You know, I don’t know what he is.”

 

Benny chuckled and clapped him on the arm.  “I know what you want him to be.”

 

Dean ducked his head, embarrassed that his friend had read him so well.

 

“Right now, I just want him to get better.”

 

“Well, show me the way,”  Benny said.

 

Dean led him up to the second floor and into the master bedroom.  Cas was snuggled down again with the covers pulled up to his chin.  The soup sat abandoned on the nightstand.  His eyes had been closed but at the sound of footsteps, he forced them open.

 

“Cas, this is my friend Benny.  Benny, this is Cas.”

 

“Hey, I think I’ve seen you around the hospital.”  Benny smiled and nodded. 

 

“I’ve seen you too.  You’re where, ER?”  Cas asked.  Benny nodded.

 

“Yeah.  I don’t know where you are though.”

 

“Pediatric Oncology.”

 

Benny winced.  “Brotha, that’s a hard department to be in.”

 

Cas sighed.  “I want out, but not because I don’t love the children.  It’s because they’re working me to death.”

 

“I know the feeling.  You may just want to just come apply at the clinic.  We’re hiring.  Pay’s pretty good but the hours are fantastic.  I work an actual 40 hour work week.”

 

Cas coughed into his tissue a bit before nodding.  “If you leave me a number to call, and an address, I’ll definitely apply.  I’d like to have an actual life for once.  Working what I do now, I don’t have one.”

 

Benny already had his gloves on but he slipped his mask into place before approaching the bed.  The first thing he did was check Cas’ temperature again.

 

“What was it the last time you checked it?” he asked Dean.

 

“104.3,”  Dean replied.

 

“It’s 104.5.  What have you given him so far, and when?”

 

“Uh, Cas got home about four, I came inside and found him passed out around 4:45, and I put him to bed.  So…five?” 

 

It was nearly eight, but Benny pulled a bottle of Motrin from his pocket and shook the pills out in his hand.  He passed them to Cas who reached for his glass of water to take them with.

 

“Ok, there’s not a whole lot you can do for the flu.  Keep him hydrated, make sure he eats, but if he gets nauseous, switch to bland foods that his stomach can handle.  But make sure he still gets something into him.  His body needs it to fight this.  Keep him warm and dry, alternate the Motrin and Tylenol every three hours , and if the fever spikes or he can’t breathe, or…he has seizures, you get him to the hospital immediately.  You hear me, Dean?  No hesitation; you just get him to the ER.” 

 

“I picked up some stuff he asked for, like Sudafed from the pharmacy, Benadryl, and he said it won’t work, but maybe it’ll help him sleep, so I got some NyQuil, and just in case, I got some Robitussin DM.”  Dean was rifling through his bag from the drug store, pulling out boxes and bottles to show him.

 

“I told him to get the Sudafed and Benadryl.  I need the Benadryl bad,”  Cas said.  Benny opened the box and popped two tablets out to give him. 

 

“Try to stagger what you take, ok?  You should know that though.  Try not to overwhelm your body.” 

 

“I know.  I just want to stop choking on this sinus drip.”  Cas coughed and spit into his tissue.  “Sorry, I’m grossing myself out at the moment.”

 

“I’ve seen worse; you ain’t bothering me.”  Benny chuckled.  “I’m going to stick around til I know your fever is dropping, then I’m heading back home.  Now, try not to overexert yourself.  I know that in our line of work we tend to constantly be on the go.  This time, kick back and enjoy the fact that you have a big, strong Alpha to take care of you.”  He winked, and Cas was glad his cheeks were already flushed with fever or Dean would see how hard he was blushing in that moment. 

 

“I will behave,” he said as he snuggled down again under the blankets. 

 

Benny checked his pulse and monitored the fever over the next hour while Dean ate his forgotten food and caulked a few more windows.  He could already feel the house getting warmer.  Tomorrow, when the caulk dried, he reminded himself that he’d need to come through with a razor to scrape the excess off the glass, but for tonight, he was already tired.  Benny left when the fever finally dropped to 101, and Dean saw him out, locking the door up tight behind him.  He made his way back up to the master bedroom where Cas had conked out, thanks to the Benadryl.  Benny had left some gloves and a couple of masks for him to use so he didn’t get sick too, but he was also washing his hands every time he touched Cas or touched anything the Omega touched.  He’d also picked up disinfecting wipes and spray, and while Cas dozed, he wiped down every surface he thought the Omega would have touched in the last few days.

 

By 11, Dean was dead on his feet.  He texted Sam, asking him to get Donna to open in the morning, and then he went across the hall to one of the guest bedrooms.  He pulled back the covers and stripped down.  Tomorrow he’d stop by his own house for a change of clothes and to grab his toothbrush, but for tonight, he just wanted sleep.  Mere seconds after crawling under the covers, he was out.  It didn’t last but a few hours though.

 

Cas woke every few hours as the Benadryl would wear off, choking on sinus drip so bad he could barely breathe.  Dean came in each time he heard him coughing to check on him and give him whatever meds he needed.  The fever wasn’t going away, but it was manageable.  By mid morning, they were both exhausted, and Cas felt guilty for keeping him up half the night.

 

“It’s not a bother; stop saying that,”  Dean grumbled as he set a tray with a freshly made pot of tea on the nightstand.  “I want to be here, ok?”

 

The congestion had kicked in and the Omega was unable to breathe through his nose at all without the help of the Sudafed, and the misery showed on his face.  So did his gratitude.

 

“I need to find the time to bake you a pie.  As a thank you.  I know you make them at the shop, but I can bake too.”

 

Dean smiled as he took out the bag in the garbage can and tied it before putting a new bag in.

 

“Hey, I’m all for pie.  No one but my mom ever made me pie, so I’d like that a lot.”

 

  Cas yawned as the last dose of Benadryl began to kick in and his eyelids became heavy.  “I’ll make it next week, or maybe the week after that if this doesn’t go away quickly.”

 

When Cas had fallen asleep, Dean tasked himself with cleaning and organizing.  He fixed the draft in the front door, checked a few water stains on the ceiling, and went up into the attic to make sure there were no leaks in the roof. 

 

It took Cas over a week before he started to feel even slightly better, and Dean stayed the entire time.  He kept himself busy with fixing the house up, making general repairs, and doting on the Omega.  The second week, Cas was forcing himself up and out of bed to shower and attempt to disinfect the bedroom which smelled heavily of sickness.  Dean took sweat dampened linens to wash when Cas couldn’t be on his feet for more than five minutes without wearing himself out and going into a coughing fit. 

 

By the third week Cas had no choice but to go back to work.  He was still miserably congested and coughing, and working meant wearing a mask and gloves at all time.  He’d put in the application at the clinic and had an interview the following Wednesday.  He really hoped he got the job. 

 

Thanks to Dean, most of the repairs in  the house were done, and there was less of a reason for the Alpha to come around, yet he still did, and Cas was thankful for that.  He wasn’t back to himself yet, and Dean bringing dinner by or coming to cook at his house made sure he got food in him at least once a day.  It was the day before the interview when they were sitting down to eat a casserole Dean had brought by that the Alpha spoke up about that.

 

“You lost a lot of weight with this flu.  Are you eating during the day at all?”

 

“I haven’t had much of an appetite.  Dinner is really the main meal I eat, though I did have a granola bar earlier when I got dizzy.  My friend Liz checked my blood sugar and then yelled at me for not eating.  Work is just draining me.  I can’t keep up these hours, especially being sick like this.  I don’t feel like I’m getting better.  I need time to rest.”  Cas still had dark circles under his eyes and he was pale.

 

“Eat up.  I’ll pack your lunch for tomorrow and you _will_ eat, you hear me?  You need to eat to get better.”

 

A ghost of a smile crossed the Omegas lips.  “You know, my last boyfriend didn’t even take this good of care of me.  I don’t think he gave a crap if I ate or not.”

 

“Well, I do care.  You’ve sort of…become my best friend.”  Dean blushed as he set down his fork and turned in his chair to face him.  “But it’s a bit more than that.”

 

Cas slowly lowered his own fork and looked up at him.  Was Dean going to say what he thought the Alpha was going to say?  What he’d been hoping for months that he would?

 

“I, uh,” Dean cleared his throat and scratched at his jaw for a sec.  “When I say I care, I mean, not _just_ as a friend.  I care about you, like as a mate.  If that’s not cool with you, I’ll back off, but, yeah, that’s how I feel.”

 

Cas smiled wide as he rose up from his chair and moved to the one next to Dean.  He hugged the Alpha tight.

 

“If  I wasn’t worried that I’d get you infected and then we’d be right back here all over again with this flu, I’d kiss you.  Keep helping me get better and I will kiss you senseless.”

 

Dean chuckled as he wrapped his arms around the other man and buried his nose against his throat.  There was still a rather strong smell of sickness, but under it he could smell Cas’ scent, and it was wonderful.

 

“I can wait.  I just want to take care of you, and see you recover completely from this.  I’m also hoping you get this new job, so you can work normal hours.  Until you’re ready to make a full time go of farming.”

 

Cas sat back, smiling happily.  “I will do everything I can to get better.  My heat this last time around skipped cause I was so sick.  My body couldn’t handle both things, but the next one is coming in about three weeks.  I want to be completely recovered by then.”  He touched Dean’s hand where he’d laid it on the table before covering it with his own.  “Maybe you’d like to stay for that?”

 

Dean forced down his arousal over the offer.  There were still three weeks before it was here, and Cas needed to get better before that.

 

“I’d like that.  First, let’s get you that job and get you recovered.”

 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Cas got the job and put in his notice at the hospital.  His supervisor wasn’t surprised to see him go, but she was still saddened.  He was a valuable staff member, but also loved dearly by the children.  Dean made sure to leave breakfast foods for him to eat before he left for work, always packed with protein and vitamins, and he sent the Omega to work every day with lunch.  Finally, Cas began putting weight back on.  His sinuses cleared out and only a small, annoying cough was left.  He’d been allowed a month’s break before starting the new job, so that he could finish his last two weeks at the hospital and deal with his heat before he had to start a new job. The last week was time he wanted to spend with Dean before winter officially set in.

 

Leaving the hospital was bittersweet, but mainly miserable because he was in the early stages of his heat the last day and a half.  The Friday he left, he made the drive home and parked his car in the garage.  There were reports of snow coming, and he didn’t want to have to dig it out later.  The trek up to the house was exhausting, but walking in general was tiring in this state.  He pulled his coat tightly around himself as he climbed the stairs and unlocked the door. 

 

The house was toasty warm, thanks to Dean addressing all the air leaks, and despite the wind the windows didn’t rattle anymore.  He hung his coat up and kicked off his shoes.  Dean was due at eight.  It was inventory week at the bakery and he had to be there for that, but it was the last day and he’d promised that as soon as the order for supplies was sent in, he’d come straight over.  It was just after six now so Cas headed upstairs to take a shower and change out of his scrubs.  The hot water felt amazing and after he’d scrubbed himself clean, he changed into a pair of yoga pants and a tee shirt.

 

Back downstairs, he popped the steaks he’d marinated that morning in the oven along with a couple of baked potatoes.  He’d made a pie the night before, and that he planned to bring out for dessert.  While he waited for Dean to arrive, he tidied up a bit.  He changed the bedding, put out clean towels in the master bathroom, and made sure the condoms were within easy reach.  He’d debated on even buying them.  Dean was…he was perfect.  Everything he’d spent his whole life looking for, and he wanted the Alpha as his mate, but he wasn’t sure if Dean was ready for that.  Or pups, because even on birth control, there was a chance he could get pregnant during his heat.  They weren’t getting any younger, though, and the idea of a mate and pups was deeply appealing to him.  He was still chewing his lip thoughtfully when the doorbell rang.  On instinct, he shoved the box of condoms in the drawer of his nightstand and hurried downstairs to answer the door.

 

“What is all this?”  he asked when he saw the bags Dean was carrying.  The Alpha was laden down with them.

 

“Supplies,”  Dean replied as Cas pulled down the ones that were blocking his face.

 

“Supplies?”  Cas peeked into the first bag and saw it contained boxes of protein bars, fruit, and vitamins.

 

“For your heat.  You need to stay hydrated and fed to keep your energy up.  I figured we didn’t need bottled water, you have the dispenser, but I brought two large, reusable bottles.”

 

“It sounds like you’ve had experience helping people through their heat before.”  That thought stung the Omega, and he hid his sour expression by turning and starting for the kitchen.

 

“No, this is a first for me.  I’ve…I’ve never cared about anyone like I do you.  But I’ve kept my brother safe since he first presented.  He doesn’t let anyone help him, but he also forgets to eat during it, so in the days leading up to it, I stock his apartment with easy to access foods, and bottles of water.  I don’t want to find out my little brother died during a heat because he forgot to drink and eat,”  Dean explained as he set his bags on the kitchen table and started going through them. 

 

“Oh.  He’s very lucky to have you for a brother.  My brothers never cared.  As long as I stayed locked in my room and didn’t “stink up the rest of the house”, as my brother Mike would say, they left me alone.  My sister Rachel would make sure I ate and drank though,”  Cas said as he began pulling things out of bags.  There were protein bars, oatmeal, a jar of honey he knew came from Dean’s bees, eggs, bacon, and more. 

 

“You really came prepared.” 

 

Dean walked over, grabbing him by his hips and pulling him close.

 

“I didn’t want to have to leave.  I tried to think ahead to everything you might need, or that I might need.  I even brought some of these.”  He dipped his hand into another bag and came up with a container of Tucks pads.  Cas blushed hard as he read what they were for.

 

“Oh, um, I’ve never used those before.”

 

“I’m not small, Cas.  And I don’t want you hurting later.  There’s ibuprofen and Tylenol too.  And a couple of ice packs.”

 

“You’re scaring me,”  Cas half joked.  Why would he need all those things?

 

“Have you ever taken a partner to bed during your heat before?”  Dean asked.

 

“No, which was part of why my ex got so violent.  You’re the first I’ve wanted in my bed during it.”

 

Dean smiled, setting the container down on the counter so he could place his hand back on the Omega’s hip.  “I’ve been dying to kiss you.  Are you germ free yet?”

 

Cas laughed and nodded.  “This little cough I have isn’t contagious, and it likely won’t go away until spring, but I won’t get you sick.”

 

“Good.”  Dean brought his lips to Cas’, kissing him softly at first, and then a bit more firmly, licking his way into the Omega’s mouth. Cas tasted as good as he smelled, and with his heat here, everything was amplified.  The timer for the oven decided to go off before they reached the point of no return, and he was forced to pull back.

 

“Did you make steak?  It smells amazing.”

 

Cas licked his lips as he nodded.  “Yes, and I have some green beans I canned last summer to go with it.”

 

“You can?  That’s awesome!  I do too!”  Dean exclaimed.  “I had so much zucchini this summer, I was donating it to food pantries because after canning a 1oo jars of it and making 200 plus loaves of zucchini bread, I was at a loss for what to do with the rest.”

 

“I’m sure there are many people that made excellent use of it.  I wanted to grow pumpkins again this year and can some, but he burned my food fields too,”  Cas said as he pulled the steak and potatoes out of the oven.

 

“No worries, I turned that soil over too.  You’ll be able to plant anything you want, and I’ll help.”  Dean started setting the table while Cas pulled a pitcher of iced tea out of the fridge.  Together they got everything to the table.  As Dean added butter and sour cream to his potato, Cas busied himself with sprinkling some cheddar cheese in his.

 

“Pass the cheese when you’re done?” 

 

Cas nodded and handed the bag over. 

 

“So, I made something for dessert.” 

 

“Oh?”  Dean glanced up as he cut into his steak.

 

“I made a pie.”

 

Dean stopped cutting and smiled at him.  “I can’t wait to try it.”

 

“The one thing that didn’t burn were my trees and fruit-bearing bushes because they were up by the house, and I canned as much as I could, and froze the rest.  So, I made a quadruple berry cherry pie.  If you don’t like it, I have cherry cobbler as a backup.”

 

Dean had to admit, a quadruple berry cherry pie sounded damn intriguing.

 

“What berries did you use?”

 

“Raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, and mulberry,”  Cas replied.

 

“I’ve never tried a mulberry,”  Dean confessed.

 

“You will tonight.  They’re sweet, and like tiny versions of blackberries.  My brothers, sisters and I used to go down by the river as pups and climb the trees to harvest them.  We’d come home with maybe 100 pounds? Our mom would make preserves, cobbler, compote, pie, you name it. She taught me how to do canning. I have peach and apricot trees that I bought and planted a few years ago.  They should be producing fruit next year, and then I’ll be able to can even more fruit.  I have a room in the basement for my canned goods, did you see it when you were down there?  I don’t think you did.”

 

“No, I didn’t notice it.” 

 

“Well, it’s full, but it will be sorely depleted by winter’s end because I couldn’t do much canning this year.  Just the fruit from the bushes and trees.  By march I might be eating blueberries with my dinner.”  Cas laughed.

 

“I have a cellar I built to store my canned goods, and trust me, it’s stocked to overflowing.  There will be plenty of vegetables for us,”  Dean said.  Cas felt all warm and happy hearing the Alpha talk like that.

 

They finished eating and while Dean loaded the dishwasher, Cas brought out the pie.  Dean was practically drooling by the time he met him back at the table.  Cas cut them each a generous slice.  He wasn’t worried about calories, not when they’d spend the next five to seven days burning them off.

 

“This looks fantastic, Cas,”  Dean said as he accepted the plate being offered to him.

 

“It’s my mother’s recipe, but I changed it up a bit by adding in the cherries.  I like it better with cherries.”  Cas took a bite of his and chewed slowly as he watched Dean take his first bite.

 

“Oh…”  The Alpha moaned, and before he’d finished the first bite he was taking another.  “So good!”

 

Cas smiled, pleased that Dean liked his baking.  He wondered what else he could make for the Alpha that he might like.

 

Dean devoured two slices of the pie before Cas could put it away for later.  They finished their tea and since the dishwasher was currently running, Cas started washing the dishes and their glasses by hand.  He was up to his elbows in suds when he felt Dean come up behind him, pressed in close and pinning him against the counter.

 

“You smell amazing, you know that?  Like hibiscus and the clover honey my bees make.  It’s amazing.”

 

Cas smiled as he placed another plate in the dishrack.

 

“You like my scent?”

 

“It’s the best thing I’ve ever smelled.  I can’t get enough of it.”  The Alpha buried his nose against the back of Cas’ neck and inhaled.  A low growl rumbled up from his chest as he thrust against the Omega’s backside.  His hands were wandering, sliding around Cas’ stomach to pull him back against him.  Cas hurried to wash the last fork and shoved it in the dishrack before rinsing his hands and turning the water off.  He felt the hardness that was currently rutting against his ass and a soft gasp slipped past his lips as a hot hand slid down the front of his pants, strong fingers wrapping around his half hard length and stroking him until he was painfully hard.

 

“Dean, please,”  he begged.  The Alpha pulled back only long enough to sweep him into his arms.  He wrapped his arms around Dean’s neck and hung on as he was carried up the stairs and into the bedroom.  Dean pulled the covers back and deposited him on the bed.  There was a ring of red around his eyes as he undid his boots and kicked them off before starting on his pants.  Cas leaned back on his elbows and watched as the Alpha stripped out of his pants and socks.  Next to go was his flannel and the Henley he wore underneath it.  Dressed in only tight boxer briefs that gave Cas an idea of just how big the Alpha really was, he crawled up the bed, pinning the Omega beneath him.

 

Cas dropped back against the pillows and ran the tips of his fingers down the strong biceps currently boxing him in.  Dean was all strength and muscle.  It was exciting and he whined, baring his throat in submission.  He gasped at the hot, wet tongue that licked across his scent glands.  Dean sat back on his haunches and started undressing Cas, except this time he stripped him bare.  His eyes roamed hungrily over the Omega beneath him. 

 

“You’re gorgeous.  I thought so the first time I laid eyes on you.  I was stupid though, and didn’t think you would be interested, so I settled for simply helping you set up the hives and fixing your house, but…somewhere along the way, I fell in love with you.  I don’t want to just help you through your heat, Cas.  I want to take you as my mate.  You’re what I want, and definitely what I need.  I won’t though, unless that’s what you want too.”

 

Cas’ head was spinning.  His heat was already starting to ramp up thanks to how aroused he currently was, and now Dean was telling him he loved him.  The truth was, he’d fallen in love with Dean a long time ago.

 

“I’m in love with you too.  I wasn’t sure you’d be ready to bond with me though.  I know you said you wanted us to eventually.  I wasn’t sure if this was the eventually you were talking about.  I want this though, with you.  I’ve never wanted it with anyone before.”

 

Dean pulled his underwear off, smirking at how the Omega, soon to be _his_ Omega, was almost drooling.  Cas whimpered in frustration, he wanted to roll over and present, but Dean had him pinned again.

 

“What’s the matter, baby?”  The Alpha purred as he leaned down to nuzzle against his throat.  A wave of arousal coursed through Cas, and he felt the dampness between his legs as his slick began to flow. 

 

“I need to roll over, I need you to take me,”  the Omega whined.  “Dean!”

 

Dean wasn’t ready for that though.  Not yet.  One hand slid down Cas’ hip to his thigh before moving in towards the source of the sweet smell emanating from his body. 

 

“You’re so wet already.”  He rubbed his fingers through the slick before sliding them easily inside him.  Omegas in heat were more pliant, their muscles relaxing faster, and Cas was desperate already for the Alpha’s knot.  He spread his legs more and watched as Dean brought his dripping fingers up to his mouth to suck on them.

 

A possessive growl spilled from the Alpha’s mouth, and his lips curled back, revealing his sharp canines.  _“Mine_.”  He moved down the bed, and Cas sat up enough to watch as he buried his face between the Omega’s legs.

 

“Oh!  Oh God!  _Yes!”_ He gasped, falling back against the pillows as Dean’s tongue slipped easily inside his body, alongside two fingers.  It had been ages since anyone had eaten him out, and he hadn’t realized just how much he’d missed it.  Dean was a god with his mouth. 

 

Cas was already teetering on the edge of his first orgasm, his head thrown back in ecstasy when he felt Dean nudge at his entrance.  He still felt the need to roll over and present for his mate, but he bypassed that instinct and simply spread his legs wider.  Dean hadn’t been kidding about how big he was.  It felt to the Omega like he was being split in two as inch by torturous inch, Dean slid inside him. 

 

“Fuck, so hot, so _tight_ ,”  Dean moaned.  “I’ve never had sex without a condom.  This is…intense!”

 

“You’re aware I could get pregnant?  I’m on birth control, but heats make them ineffective, just so you know.”  Cas stared up into those red ringed eyes, but Dean just smiled.

 

“Are _you_ ok with that?”

 

Cas nodded quickly.  “Oh, yes, I am.  I want a family.  With you.”

 

“Good, because I might just burst if I don’t start moving, and I can’t picture having a family with anyone else.  You’re mine, Cas, and I’m yours.”

 

Dean’s movements were slow at first, allowing them both the time necessary to adjust, and usually Cas suppressed his instincts during a heat, so he could remain alert and in control, but this time he let go, allowing them to take over fully since now he had an Alpha that could and would protect him if the need arose.  He purred and licked at the Alpha’s scent glands which urged Dean to move faster.  Dean caught the hands that kept pulling at him and linking their fingers together, pinned them to the bed.  His Omega, his _mate_ was keening and whining, arching beneath him to encourage him to thrust harder, so he did. 

 

Cas was beyond words, Dean knew it.  He wasn’t much up for them either.  Having a ready, willing Omega beneath him triggered his own rut, and all he could think about was knotting and claiming his Omega.  When he felt his knot beginning to swell he pulled out.  Before Cas could complain he found himself being flipped over and pulled up so he was on all fours.  He whined and thrust his ass back towards his Alpha and a moment later Dean was back inside him, locking inside him after just a few more strokes.  He slid his hands around Cas’ chest and hauled him up.

 

“ _Mine_ ,”  he growled.

 

“ _Do it_!”  Cas growled right back.  A second later sharp fangs were sinking into his shoulder, and he screamed as a second orgasm ripped through him.

 

Dean’s body moved on instinct, still thrusting shallowly into his mate.  The bond was only half complete and he was eager for his knot to go down so he could be back inside his Omega, knotting him again so this time, Cas could place his mating bite on his neck.  In the meantime he was clearheaded enough to move them so they were lying on their sides, and he curled himself around his mate.

 

“I love you.”  He licked at the bite mark he’d just made, cleaning away the blood.  Cas sighed happily.

 

“I love you too.”

 

“You cool with me moving in here?  It’s a bigger den to raise pups in than my house.  If you want to leave here though, I can’t build us a bigger den til the spring,”  Dean said as he nuzzled against his mate’s shoulder.

 

“I prefer 2500 square feet to 900 if you expect me to have pups.”  Cas laughed and snuggled back against his mate more.  “And after all the work we put into this place?  It would be a shame to sell.”

 

“Who said anything about selling?  We’ll combine, have more land for bees and crops.  We can use my house down the road for either people that work for us, or for our pups once they’re old enough to move out.  But, I need to dig a cellar over here, for the canning we’ll be doing.”  Dean’s hand wandered down to his mate’s belly.  Could it be possible there was already a pup growing in there?  His Alpha instincts screamed _yes!_   But his logical side was doubtful.  Birth control had made many advances over the years and one of the biggest ones was becoming more effective at keeping Omegas in heat from getting pregnant.  He tried to ignore his instinct to put a pup in his mate’s belly and instead focus on the fact that he _had_ a mate. 

 

“I like the sound of that.  I want you moved in before I start my new job.  Can we manage that?”

 

“We definitely can.  I’ll get people to help and we’ll get it all together by next weekend.  Everything else, we’ll figure out as we go.”

 

Cas let his eyes drift closed.  Conserving his energy between his flares was important.  He had the rest of his life to figure out the little things.

 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Hi, and welcome to Sweet Bee, what can I get for you?”

 

The woman smile softly and pointed to a package of oatmeal honey cookies.

 

“I’d like two of those.  And…what kind of pie is this?”  She picked up one of the pies on display, turning it to read the label.

 

“Cherry Berry Delight.  It has raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, mulberries, and cherries.  It’s a family favorite,”  Cas replied.

 

“Oh, it sounds wonderful, I’ll take one of these too.”

 

Cas rang her up for the cookies and the pie and nodded politely as she walked away with her purchase.

 

“Mama mama mama!”

 

“No, Cas shifted his pup to keep him from grabbing at the cookies on the table.

 

“No, no more cookies.” 

 

His pup fussed and whined at being denied but he reached into the van to grab the sippy cup.  That was the distraction he needed, and the pup sucked happily at it.

 

“Hey, buddy, you being a good boy?”  Dean came back with a pretzel from one of the other vendors and a teething biscuit from the Mennonite farmers two aisles over.  They made a variety of items for young, teething pups, and Bailey loved the biscuits. The moment the pup spotted the biscuit he dropped the sippy cup to reach for it.  Cas caught it before it hit the ground.

 

“Awesome reflexes there, babe.”  Dean laughed as he handed their son his biscuit.

 

“I have to with this guy.  Everything gets dropped.”  Cas hefted the pup up higher on his hip.  He was putting on more weight lately.  Dean traded his mate the pretzel for the pup and while Cas ate his snack, Dean buckled their son into his stroller.

 

“So Sam called while I was getting your pretzel.  He says the shop is so busy today they sold out donuts, croissants, and muffins by nine.  Sales should be through the roof this weekend,” he said.

 

“That’s good. I knew opening a second location downtown was a good idea.”  Cas offered his pretzel to Dean, who tore a piece off and popped it in his mouth.

 

“We need to hire more staff.  This is going on eight months now, and the customer volume hasn’t gone down.  I think it’s safe to say extra hands would be helpful.” 

 

“I’ll put up an ad online in the morning,”  Cas offered.

 

“Thanks, babe.”  Dean pulled the two lawn chairs out of the van and set the one up for Cas first.  “You need to stop carrying little man.  Before the doctor yells at you.” 

 

Cas nodded as he sat down.  He rotated his ankles and groaned.  It felt good to get off his feet.  They were swollen, as were his ankles.  Dean set his chair up and sat down.  He grabbed one of his mate’s legs and laid it across his lap before proceeding to massage the swollen ankle. 

 

“That feels amazing,”  Cas sighed.

 

“When we get home I want you to put your feet up.  You’re swelling too much this time around, and it’s worrying me.”  Dean looked at his mate’s swollen belly.  Six weeks until their daughter was due, but his Omega looked ready to burst.

 

“I can’t, I have to go check on the bees,”  Cas argued.  Dean knew there was no talking his mate out of spending time with his beloved bees.  He’d learned that a successful bond meant compromise.

 

“Fine, but I’m driving you out there in the golf cart.  You check on them and then get back up to the house to take it easy.”

 

“Yes, dear.”  Cas smiled as he took another bite of his pretzel.  Dean snorted and shook his head.  He’d always thought he was stubborn, but he had nothing on his Omega.

 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

After a full day at the farmer’s market, Dean drove to the bakery downtown to drop off what didn’t sell, knowing most of it would be gone by the end of the day.  They traded the van for the Impala and by the time they got home, Bailey was rubbing at his eyes and whining.  At 16 months he was trying more and more to fight his naptime, and he was way overtired.  Dean carried him into the house and up to his room, and the next 20 minutes were spent patting the pup on the butt as he rubbed at his eyes and whined.  Once he crashed though, he was dead asleep. 

 

Dean went downstairs to find his mate making sandwiches.

 

“Babe, you need to rest.  I can make lunch.”                     

 

“I’m sorry, I am just _so_ hungry.  The pretzel wasn’t enough.”  Cas picked up one of the sandwiches and bit into it as he offered a plate with the other to his Alpha.  Dean accepted it and bit into it.

 

“We have an hour before the monkey wakes up.  Grab the baby monitor and lets go.”

 

The ride out to the hives was quiet.  Bees buzzed around everywhere, making Cas smile.  He rubbed his belly absently as he watched the butterflies fluttering about.  The wildflowers were starting to bloom now, and the closer they got to the hives, the more bees there were buzzing about. 

 

They’d both dressed in their bee suits and had their veils in place when they stepped out of the cart.  Cas was all smiles as he went about checking the hives.  Dean began checking the ones farther back, which were the new ones they’d put in at the beginning of spring.  They all had new hives going.  Since bonding three year ago, they had increased their hives and their honey production by almost 75%.  They had one of the largest colonies in the Midwest, and Cas was extremely proud of that.  The bees were like his children, and despite not being able to hear, they loved to land on the Omega and in all the years he’d been dealing with them, he’d never once been stung.  They recognized his scent and came to him every time he came out to check on them.  Dean liked to think they knew Cas was their protector, and they accepted him. 

 

Cas chatted with the bees as he checked each hive.  Even if they couldn’t hear him, he was certain they understood his intentions.  He thought of them as if they were his children, much like Bailey.  Dean liked he rapport his mate had with all the wildlife that roamed their property, from the bees, butterflies and spiders to the snakes, hawks, and mink that ran or flew through the tall grasses.  Their land had become a sanctuary for so many creatures, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.  He’d been content before Cas came into his life, but he didn’t know what true happiness was until that day in the market, when a heartbroken man in search of bees came walking into his life.  It had changed him profoundly, and only for the better.

 

“Come, we have to get back before Bailey wakes up.  Plus my feet are swelling out of my shoes,”  Cas said.

 

“I’ll massage them for you, sweetheart.  Let’s head back; everything is good here.”  Dean helped his mate back into the golf cart, and they drove back to the house.

 

“Would you make roasted sweet potatoes with dinner tonight?”  the Omega asked on the ride back.

 

“Is that what you have a taste for?” 

 

“Yes.  And broccoli.” 

 

Dean smiled.  “Anything you want, babe, it’s yours.”

 

Cas smiled happily.  He had everything he could have ever wanted, and then some.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are always welcome. Thank you for reading!


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